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Do you worry about applying the Reasonable and Prudent Parent Standard as a foster parent? Check out this interview with Rhonda Serrano, a senior attorney at the ABA Center on Children and the Law, and Kate Schultz, the Deputy Director at Foster Family Alliance of North Carolina and a licensed foster parent.
In this episode, we cover:
- Where does the concept and term for “reasonable and prudent parent” come from?
- What were the problems that the reasonable and prudent parent standard is trying to address?
- The intent is to promote and support normalcy. Why is normalcy so important for foster youth?
- Who does this standard apply to?
- Does it apply to all children and youth in foster care?
- Why is the distinction between an “activity” vs. a “service” important?
- What is included in extracurricular activities?
- What is included as an enrichment activity?
- What is included in cultural activities?
- What is considered a social activity?
- Would these activities usually be included?
- Phone and computer use
- Being on social media
- Reasonable curfews and rules for dating and socializing
- Driver’s licenses and learner’s permits
- Social activities with friends and peers, including unsupervised social activities, such as:
- Going to the movies
- Dating
- Visiting friends’ houses overnight
- Would background checks be needed to spend the night at a friend's or foster grandparent’s house?
- Are there some activities that are inherently too risky for the foster parent to make the decision on whether to participate?
- The activity is supposed to be age or developmentally appropriate. Who makes this decision?
Factors to consider when applying this standard.
- Does the child/youth want to do this activity? Does it fit with their interests, likes, and dislikes?
- Is this activity appropriate for their age and something other kids their age get to do?
- Can this youth/child participate safely for their selves and others, given their behavioral history?
- Is there appropriate adult supervision for this activity?
- Does this activity encourage the child’s emotional and developmental growth?
- Does participating in this activity normalize life for this child/youth? Does it provide a more family-like experience?
- Does this activity provide a way for the child to further their self-identity (including ethnic, cultural, religious, etc)?
- Does it provide an opportunity for healthy risk-taking?
- Will the youth gain adult skills for transitioning?
- Does the biological parent want the child to participate in this activity?
- Can you afford this activity?
- Risk factor
- Mental health: are there any triggers to be aware of?
- What liability does the resource parent have if things go wrong at the activity?
- How can biological parents be included in de
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